Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-08-05


horses huuf, even
"No horses How, then, shall we travel y
"Mules, replied the chief, cor bi,rros
Just as you may elect
"How long shall you be gone y
"About two weeks"
"And the distance ~
Don't know perhaps 300 miles. 1t is
somewhat beyond the region we have trav-
ersed, in that section described by CortGs as
being inhabited by Indians having spears
sixteen feet in length. They wouldn't al
low the Spanards 10 enter their Territory,
but sent out presents Of gold that made
them wild 10 do so. Though they and their
descendants have kept this territory invio-
late, we will be the first strangers to ex-
plore IL and discover its fabulous wealth"
1T is now my turn, " said the naturalist,
ITO have horrible suspicion that we shall
return-if we do return-without grain
Of gold or hint Of the mine'
"Iear the pessimist, " retorted the chief
"But, notwithstanding he will start with
us to morrow
O-mOrrow-M Mdddnd-the day we were
to leave Oaxaca on our second expedition
in search of the lost mine-came and went,
and several other to-morrows with it for
our chief had lived long in Mexico and
| never did today what could be postponed
till tomorrow.
The city hotel, with its open court sur
rounded by rows Of stone pillars, its cheer
less great chambers with brick floors and
narrow iron bedsteads, this hotel was not
an attractive place Of abode. But its fri
| JOieS-its fried beans-which the naturalist
| preferred reGiiOs or retired, were so rich,
aud the city sights were 50 interesting, that
it required more than the combined ener-
| gies Of the party 10 turn our backs upon it
/ aud penetrate anew the forest wids
| Hence, we took a week of preparation :
| for, instead Of the easy going horses with
| their suggestions Of Arab pedigree, which
carried us safely and easily, we should be
compelled to stradde stiff iointed and un-
sympathetic mules and instead Of the gen
tlemauly Don Santos as guide, we were to
be conducted by "a surly drrisrO, ii muleteer,
with dark and villainous countenance,
| who celebrated the first three days Of his
engagement by getting land remaining)
drunk, upon mcScui cOrrieIte, a sinful
species Of Indian "tangle foot
The meScai, or native whiskey, is made
by macerating the heads, - or central
bulbs Of the maguey (Agave Mexicana) in
water, fermenting the resultant liquid, and
then distilling. 1t is a most insidious drink
very Intoxicating, limpid, sweetsh in taste,
and fiery. The true fire water dgtnri
cnte-literally burning water'-is the
product Of the sugar cane. But the Mexi-
can Indian does not confine himself to a
narrow range Of beverages, for more than
fifty are enumerated by the native stats
ticians, extracted from maize, honey, bar
ley, maguey, sugar cane, cocoapalin, and
various seeds and plants The atoih, OF
corn Cruel spoken of by the early con
querers, is the favorite beverage used. in
the field, and when on long journeys but
Hc,cnL ieguWO and dgiiuriieuie are the
preferred strong drinks Cocktails punches
and other mixed drinks are not unknown
and compete with the American decoctiOn,
in their variety Of startling and seductive
names, such as coyote, or prairie wolf
and ojo de gdiio or "chickens-e For
eign liquors were extremely scarce il
southern MeXico-consisting of soul
Spanish claret, brandy, vermouth and al
occasional bottle Of lager beer, sold a
about four times the prices asked in tn,
United States.
One sabbath morning, the first ON which
our ntuicro was sober enough 10 saddle anC
load our mules, we rode through the garita
or city gate Of Oaxaca, on our last an(
most desperate attempt 70 discover the Ind
iaus' treasure 1t was delicious morning
|
air which delights the senses of the trav
eler Ola the slopes OF the Mexican herrt
tempindd. Early as it was, we were me
by troops of Indians trotting into market
with towering loads on their backs iron
their distant mountain gardens-Indians o
{ the Sierras, all Of them, but several differ
ent tribes the Mics, Zapotecs and Zoches
but all civil to US, doffing their hats o
greeting us with smiles.
With our pack-m mule trotting gaily aheai
/ and our guide closing the rear, we file,
through the fields Of cane and pasture lands
+ taking the hills at the town Of Tlalstac
famous in the local history as the birthplac
Of the celebrated painter, Cabrera, who's
, best work now adurns the walls Of the ar
gallery Of San Carlos, Mexico City. Risin
/ the hills, we were delighted with the view
. Of the valley, yellow with sugar cane an
hathed with golden mist the vale of Tia
colula, once the home Of most civilize
Z race Of Indians, as attested by the numeT
, Gus mounds containing buried vessels @
a exquisitely- y-moulded clay and implements q
{ copper. Within fifteen miles Of us, at
point where "a wall of hills intersects th
valley, lay the wonderful City Of til
Dead Militia, with its palace walls sti
t. standingl, ornamented with those arat
] esques that have puzzled antiquarans sine
p their discovery, and which are distnC
4 from every other group of ruins in Mexic
/ or in the world.
e The valleys and the hillsides were almo,
u destitute Of large trees, but few notabl
q giants cast the shade of their huge bulk
far over the fields, and within sight wa
, the largest and perhaps the oldest, tree
. Mexico, the vast-bodied savin-tree of SAINT
/ Maria del Tule nearly fifty feet in diam,
! ter so prodigious that it is described b
Humboldt as one of the vegetable wonder
/ Of the world We had visited and mea
Y ured this drboi de 1t,ie several weeks b,
e fore, making a special side trip to see i
I The stony trail wound along the banks
little stream which it crossed man
e times, beneath wild mangoes and overhun
e by towering shrubs, above which, and owe
Y the shallow water at the fording place
= hung clouds of butterflies